Nominations open for 2016 Mario Encarnacion Award

West Sacramento, CA - The Sacramento River Cats are currently taking nominations for the Mario Encarnacion Humanitarian Award.

This Community Service Award is dedicated to former River Cats star Mario Encarnacion. The annual award honors a young student athlete who shows a commitment to his or her teammates and classmates. The winner of this award will be presented with a personalized commemorative trophy.

The River Cats encourage any community members to submit nominations for the award. Nominations, which are accepted through August 1, should include the nominee's name, age, school they attend, contact info, and examples of how they demonstrate their character and why they are deserving of the award. Nominations should be e-mailed to River Cats Community Relations Coordinator Mike Osborn at [email protected]

Encarnacion, who played for the River Cats during the 2000 and 2001 seasons, passed away in October 2005 in Taiwan, where he was playing professionally. He is survived by his wife, Rosana, and his son, Mario Jr.

His style of play and infectious good-nature endeared Encarnacion to River Cats fans and the community. To ensure that his name lives on forever in River Cats fans' hearts, the River Cats Foundation, with special help from the Sacramento Bee's Marcos Breton, created the Mario Encarnacion Humanitarian Award in 2006. In keeping with Mario's memory, the award honors a young student athlete, or athletes, who show a commitment to their teammates, classmates, and neighbors. The award is given to those athletes who inspire others through their story, lead by example, and are role models to others.

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The Sacramento River Cats are the Triple-A affiliate of the three-time World Champion San Francisco Giants. The team plays at Raley Field in West Sacramento, consistently voted one of the top ballparks in America. River Cats Season Tickets, Mini-Plans, and Flex Plans can be purchased for the 2016 season by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). For more information about the River Cats, visit www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Raley Field, visit www.raleyfield.com.